tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post4261852175318831938..comments2024-02-24T06:21:30.987+01:00Comments on A view from the cycle path: The Times' Eight Point ManifestoDavid Hembrowhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-35709472267000904302012-08-21T08:51:24.569+02:002012-08-21T08:51:24.569+02:00Joseba: The idea that Britain's streets are un...Joseba: The idea that Britain's streets are uniquely too narrow is ridiculous and it <a href="http://www.aviewfromthecyclepath.com/search/label/notenoughspace" rel="nofollow">has been debunked any number of times</a>.<br /><br />Cities in every country on Earth have combination of narrow and wide streets, many cities have a core which dates back many hundreds of years to before planners David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-10241250567336169952012-08-20T22:48:14.248+02:002012-08-20T22:48:14.248+02:00It's nice to dream about Dutch style traffic s...It's nice to dream about Dutch style traffic segregation. I for one would certainly love to have that in the UK.<br /><br />However if you watch a bit more closely there's one essential ingredient that makes it possible: Space. In all of the videos linked indirectly from this blog, there so much of it that there is even plenty of green space left and right of the cycle path.<br /><br />Josebanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-41536640756882972762012-02-15T10:38:55.783+01:002012-02-15T10:38:55.783+01:00"that a right wing paper should support a pri..."that a right wing paper should support a private means of transport seems quite natural"<br /><br />That's one possible take on it - though strictly speaking it's a neo-liberal position rather than a conservative one. In the UK context though, up until now the Right's habitual view has been the brutally Darwinian one that weaker groups of road-users like cyclists and Vocus Dwabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739515747027524872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-61409473844632721802012-02-15T04:32:38.085+01:002012-02-15T04:32:38.085+01:00I'm of two minds on this. I agree with David H...I'm of two minds on this. I agree with David H. that it isn't enough and could lead to being watered down to be ineffective, or after this bit of spotlight is later forgotten. On the other hand there could be some real change going on.<br />I look at what's happened here in Vancouver in the past few years. From a lot of opposition (fomented by the tabloids) to any cycling Clark in Vancouvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-6891762410644960002012-02-13T11:21:58.160+01:002012-02-13T11:21:58.160+01:00Vocus, ravydavygravy: I'm quite happy to see s...Vocus, ravydavygravy: I'm quite happy to see support for cycling from any corner. Actually, though, that a right wing paper should support a private means of transport seems quite natural. Why would they not ? Over here in NL you find that the centre-right parties organise bike tours as part of their fund-raising, and promise infrastructural improvements because that's what their David Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-28958948512893047132012-02-13T10:46:59.080+01:002012-02-13T10:46:59.080+01:00"where did all that nonsense about helmets an..."where did all that nonsense about helmets and high visibilty clothing come from?"<br /><br />The Olympic rower James Cracknell, who has a thing about them and couldn't resist sticking his metaphorical oar in. Otherwise, the debate thus far has been encouragingly focussed on the real issues.Vocus Dwabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739515747027524872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-20317268918497753572012-02-12T21:25:25.464+01:002012-02-12T21:25:25.464+01:00Much-needed level headed anaylsis, although I don&...Much-needed level headed anaylsis, although I don't quite share your pessimism. In fact I'm immensely encouraged that a journalist working on the campaign has actually read your blog!<br /><br />It's cycle campaigners themselves who are often behind the curve. Now at last the LCC "gets it". If the other big campaign groups would all come on board we might just see some Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-73254397904129712152012-02-12T16:03:04.244+01:002012-02-12T16:03:04.244+01:00"What is the history in the U.K for media-led..."What is the history in the U.K for media-led revolutions?"<br /><br />Patchy at best: some of us are old enough to remember the Daily Mail's "We're Backing Britain" campaign for national regeneration in 1968, which barely lasted the week. But if the media do manage to articulate an underlying public mood rather than trying to create one they may achieve things: and I Vocus Dwabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739515747027524872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-9535412526777372512012-02-12T12:23:33.282+01:002012-02-12T12:23:33.282+01:00I'm disappointed by your response to the Times...I'm disappointed by your response to the Times campaign. I think you are missing how it is reframing the debate in this is country. <br /><br />Cyclists here are generally regarded as law breaking 'lycra louts' which is why columists sometimes think it is acceptable to write spiteful articles advocating violence against cyclists. The debate in the media is usually around compulsory ravydavygravyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03645599990857839965noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-28332063248779902472012-02-12T11:20:58.322+01:002012-02-12T11:20:58.322+01:00What is the history in the U.K for media-led revol...What is the history in the U.K for media-led revolutions? (I realize that they work against them...).Slow Factoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12056080802746709323noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-2554290375999162812012-02-11T09:04:48.387+01:002012-02-11T09:04:48.387+01:00I agree with David Arditti:the "Times" c...I agree with David Arditti:the "Times" campaign isn't so much remarkable for its demands, which are as patchy and half-thought-through as you say, but for the fact that they're being made at all by a traditionally Conservative, Murdoch-owned newspaper. The trigger for it was one of the paper's journalists - a photogenic young woman, of course - ending up on life support Vocus Dwabehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17739515747027524872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-81444631062851494312012-02-11T08:57:16.118+01:002012-02-11T08:57:16.118+01:00Ewout: There is no one size fits all solution. In ...Ewout: There is no one size fits all solution. In the example in my photo, a direct main cycling route passes through the same area as a 30 km/h service road. The cycle-path is designed to be straight and give direct access from the city centre to thousands of homes, while the road serves just a few hundred homes, has quite sharp bends, and gives way to the cycle-path when they cross. This reallyDavid Hembrowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14543024940730663645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-30508045978011017132012-02-11T01:58:56.750+01:002012-02-11T01:58:56.750+01:00Unusually, David, I think you are quite wrong here...Unusually, David, I think you are quite wrong here. This manifesto represents quite a profound departure from traditional UK establishment attitudes to cycling, and that is why it is important.<br /><br />The main thing you have misinterpreted is point 6 of the manifesto. This is partially because they have phrased it badly. Point 6 is not really about 20 mph limits, it is about what you are David Ardittihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06255565837583244148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-42832458030175024422012-02-10T22:48:09.000+01:002012-02-10T22:48:09.000+01:00"20 mph limits are also better where there ar..."20 mph limits are also better where there are cycle-lanes. In the Netherlands you sometimes find a 30 km/h speed limit even with completely separated cycle-paths, and through villages."<br /><br />Actually, this is against CROW-guidelines and the principles of sustainable safety for a couple of reasons. One of the reasons is that when there are cyclepaths or cyclelanes, cyclists must Ewoutnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-9721980218149298712012-02-10T20:11:18.970+01:002012-02-10T20:11:18.970+01:00This is the sanest analysis I have heard so far. I...This is the sanest analysis I have heard so far. I'm very sceptical of The Times' motives, regardless of individual journos reasons. It's a marketing ploy and is not even, as you rightly point out, close to standards already set elsewhere. There is too much vested interest for the fundamentals to change. No radical outcome will be had from the politicos, because they have no spine to Mick Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18061667114298174197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3102538965694240940.post-57354967998956277792012-02-10T18:28:05.065+01:002012-02-10T18:28:05.065+01:00Totally agree with you David. However, I have been...Totally agree with you David. However, I have been using the Times campaign to highlight what I consider to be good cycling infrastructure. To this end I have been sending links to yours and Mark's videos to local MPs and councillors. While we've caught their attention we have to get across our thoughts, and these videos are an extremely valuable resource, so thank you for them.Davidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00539464579475387742noreply@blogger.com